Period 6 Part 2

Ghettos

Urban neighborhoods dominated by a single ethnic, racial, or economic group.

Nativism

A policy of favoring native-born individuals over foreign-born ones, often accompanied by anti-immigrant sentiment.

Eugenics

A pseudoscience aimed at improving the human population by controlling breeding to increase desirable traits.

Melting Pot

A metaphor for a society where various racial, ethnic, and cultural groups blend into one.

Push Factor

Conditions that drive people to leave their homeland, such as poverty, oppression, or war.

Pull Factor

Conditions that attract immigrants to a new area, such as economic opportunity, freedom, or better living conditions.

Frontier Thesis

Frederick Jackson Turner's argument that the frontier experience shaped American democracy and character.

Tenements

Overcrowded and poorly maintained apartment buildings that housed many urban working-class families.

Sweatshops

Small factories or workshops where employees worked long hours under poor conditions for low wages.

Political Machine

A party organization, led by a single boss or small group, that commands enough votes to maintain control over local government.

Political Boss

The leader of a political machine who wields significant influence and often engages in corruption.

Tammany Hall

A New York City political machine associated with the Democratic Party and known for corruption.

Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act

A 1883 law establishing a merit-based system for federal employment to reduce corruption and patronage.

Settlement House

Community centers in urban areas providing assistance to immigrants and the poor.

Social Gospel

A religious movement advocating that Christians should address social issues like poverty and inequality.

Gilded Age

The late 19th century, characterized by rapid industrialization, economic growth, and political corruption, masked by an appearance of prosperity.

Corporate Capitalism

An economic system dominated by large corporations that control production and distribution.

Laissez-faire

A policy of minimal government interference in economic affairs.

Social Darwinism

The application of Darwin's theory of natural selection to human society, often used to justify inequality.

The Gospel of Wealth

Andrew Carnegie's essay advocating that the wealthy have a duty to use their wealth for the public good.

Depression of 1893

A severe economic downturn caused by railroad overbuilding, bank failures, and reduced international trade.

Billion Dollar Congress

The 51st Congress (1889-1891) that spent excessively, leading to increased tariffs and pensions.

Grangers

Members of the National Grange, a farmers' movement advocating for rural communities and government regulation of railroads.

Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC)

A federal agency created to regulate railroads and ensure fair rates and practices.

Farmers' Alliances

Regional organizations of farmers that sought economic and political reforms in the late 19th century.

Subtreasury System

A proposed system where farmers could store crops in government warehouses and receive low-interest loans.

Sherman Silver Purchase Act

A 1890 law requiring the government to buy silver to increase money circulation, benefiting farmers and miners.

Populists

Members of the People's Party, a political movement advocating for reforms to aid farmers and laborers.

Coxey's Army

A protest march to Washington, D.C., in 1894 led by Jacob Coxey, demanding government jobs for the unemployed.

Williams v. Mississippi

An 1898 Supreme Court case upholding literacy tests and poll taxes, effectively disenfranchising Black voters.